1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a printing tape which partially serves as a laminate tape, a tape cartridge, and a tape printing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there are two kinds of tape cartridges, one having contained a printing tape and an ink ribbon inside a cartridge case in a manner to be freely pulled out therefrom, and the other having contained a printing tape, a laminating tape and an ink ribbon inside a cartridge case in a manner to be freely pulled or paid out therefrom. These two kinds of tape cartridges are respectively loaded into an exclusively used tape printing apparatus. In the former example, the printing onto the printing tape and the tape cutting are performed to thereby prepare a label. In the latter example, the printing on the printing tape, the adhesion of the laminating tape, and the tape cutting are performed to prepare a laminated printing tape.
In the latter example of the tape printing apparatus, it is possible to prepare a label without lamination by loading a tape cartridge in which the laminating tape is omitted. In the former example, on the other hand, there is no mechanism for adhering the printing tape and the laminating tape together. Therefore, even if a tape cartridge having added thereto the laminating tape is loaded, a laminated printing tape cannot be prepared.